Kosmos 1851

Summary

Kosmos 1851 (Russian: Космос 1851 meaning Cosmos 1851) is a Soviet US-K missile early warning satellite which was launched in 1987 as part of the Soviet military's Oko programme. The satellite is designed to identify missile launches using optical telescopes and infrared sensors.[2]

Kosmos 1851
Mission typeEarly warning
COSPAR ID1987-050A Edit this at Wikidata
SATCAT no.18103
Mission duration4 years [1]
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft typeUS-K[2]
Launch mass1,900 kilograms (4,200 lb)[3]
Start of mission
Launch date12 June 1987, 07:40 (1987-06-12UTC07:40Z) UTC
RocketMolniya-M/2BL[2]
Launch sitePlesetsk Cosmodrome[2][3]
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric
RegimeMolniya [2]
Perigee altitude620 kilometres (390 mi)[4]
Apogee altitude39,738 kilometres (24,692 mi)[4]
Inclination62.8 degrees[4]
Period717.84 minutes[4]
 

Kosmos 1851 was launched from Site 43/4 at Plesetsk Cosmodrome in the Russian SSR.[5] A Molniya-M carrier rocket with a 2BL upper stage was used to perform the launch, which took place at 07:40 UTC on 12 June 1987.[3] The launch successfully placed the satellite into a molniya orbit. It subsequently received its Kosmos designation, and the international designator 1987-050A.[3] The United States Space Command assigned it the Satellite Catalog Number 18103.[3]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Podvig, Pavel (2002). "History and the Current Status of the Russian Early-Warning System" (PDF). Science and Global Security. 10 (1): 21–60. Bibcode:2002S&GS...10...21P. CiteSeerX 10.1.1.692.6127. doi:10.1080/08929880212328. ISSN 0892-9882. S2CID 122901563. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-03-15.
  2. ^ a b c d e "US-K (73D6)". Gunter's Space Page. 2012-03-08. Retrieved 2012-04-21.
  3. ^ a b c d e "Cosmos 1851". National Space Science Data Centre. 2012-04-20. Retrieved 2012-04-25.
  4. ^ a b c d McDowell, Jonathan. "Satellite Catalog". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 30 April 2012.
  5. ^ McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 2 May 2012.